World Diabetes Day is 14 November, a significant date for South Africa, given that an estimated 2-3.5 million South Africans live with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), which is likely to be an underestimation of the true burden. Type 2 DM is far more prevalent than type 1 DM, regardless of the fact that certain risk factors for type 2 DM are modifiable and therefore preventable.
The results of the first South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES), a comprehensive health and nutrition study that yielded critical information on emerging epidemics of non-communicable diseases, showed that South Africa has a huge burden of disease with high morbidity and mortality figures.
